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Route · LEX → DTW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Lexington to Detroit

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), LEX to DTW (Lexington to Detroit) ranks #2458 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

88.7%
On-time
+9.7 pts
vs US avg
92 min
Delay when late
5,057
Flights
#2458 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.7%

Best Month

Mar 2024 96%

Worst Month

Jan 2024 67%

Distance

296 mi

Carriers

11

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 43 8 1 0 YX,OO
Nov 2025 59 8 2 0 OO
Oct 2025 65 7 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2025 56 3 0 0 OO,YX
Aug 2025 61 9 0 0 OO,YX
Jul 2025 57 17 0 0 OO,YX
Jun 2025 58 3 1 0 OO,YX
May 2025 66 8 0 0 OO,YX
Apr 2025 86 11 0 0 OO,YX
Mar 2025 88 6 0 2 OO,YX
Feb 2025 78 17 1 0 OO,YX
Jan 2025 84 13 3 0 OO,YX
Dec 2024 78 9 0 0 9E,OO,YX
Nov 2024 82 13 0 0 OO,YX
Oct 2024 84 9 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2024 80 6 0 0 YX,OO
Aug 2024 77 6 2 0 YX,OO
Jul 2024 76 8 0 0 OO,YX
Jun 2024 72 11 0 0 OO,YX
May 2024 57 9 0 0 OO
Apr 2024 56 3 0 0 OO,YX
Mar 2024 57 2 0 0 YX,OO
Feb 2024 49 8 0 0 OO,YX
Jan 2024 52 17 1 0 9E,YX,OO

LEX–DTW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (92.2%) · weakest: January (81.9%)

80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 90.2%

Strongest calendar month

April

92.2% on-time · ~69 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~80 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

81.9% on-time · ~77 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.7%

11 of 1,621 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 1,621 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

LEX - Lexington

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Lexington, KY.

LEX on-time profile

DTW - Detroit

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Detroit, MI.

DTW on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See LEX and DTW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare LEX vs DTW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among LEX's stronger departures

LEX → DTW posts a 88.7% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 2 of 6 BTS-tracked routes leaving Lexington. The same hub also shows 4 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #297 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About LEX to DTW

Lexington to Detroit (LEX to DTW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 88.7% on-time rate across 5,057 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 91.8 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 296 miles and is served by 11 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 11 of 1,621 flights were cancelled (0.7%) and 2 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while Jan 2024 came in at just 67% - a 29-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, LEX–DTW peaks in April at 92.2% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~80 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 81.9%, a 10.3-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does LEX to DTW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, LEX to DTW ranks #2458 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from LEX to DTW? ▼
Flights from Lexington to Detroit have a 88.7% on-time rate based on 5,057 flights. The average delay is 91.8 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for LEX to DTW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (11 of 1,621 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from LEX to DTW? ▼
The flight distance from Lexington (LEX) to Detroit (DTW) is approximately 296 miles. This route is served by 11 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from LEX to DTW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (96% on-time). The worst was Jan 2024 (67% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

LEX Airport

Lexington
DTW Airport

Detroit
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using LEX–DTW data

LEX–DTW runs 9.7 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare LEX and DTW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. LEX airport
  • If your dates flex, April (92.2% on-time) beats January (81.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 88.7% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.